Customer Reviews

The Future of the Music Business: How to Succeed with the New Digital Technologies

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After reading these reviews and taking Anna Lee's very sage advice to try it via the library first, now I understand. It looks as if Mr. Gordon had several of his friends jump in and write reviews to get Ms. Lee's unfavorable review off the front page. Being the suspicious type, I checked out these reviewers, and they have all written only one review each, all giving Mr. Gordon five stars for his book, all within days of each other.

But no matter. Typical lawyer tactics don't impress me and neither did this typical lawyer's book. Having spent most of my adult life in the music industry in NYC and elsewhere, I have experienced just about everything in this business, and I am only sorry that Ms. Lee and so many others had to listen in person to this gentleman's spiel, as that's what The Future of the Music Business turns out to be: a spiel.

Yes, he has the requisite case studies with "indie" artists giving it a go on their own as an attempt to add cred to his manuscript, but Mr. Gordon (or perhaps his ghostwriter) knows nothing about digital technologies, that is apparent, nor does he offer his readers any new solutions. He is very much from the old school where the only game in town was the nearest major label that pulled all the purse strings. Now that the Internet has obliterated that, formerly holier-than-thou industry types are finding themselves at a real loss as for how to deal with it, and we see plenty of old dogs with half-a$$ed new tricks to push on the public.

The only advice I have for those in this new music industry, and it's free: Carve your own niche instead of trying to fit the ones sculpted by the suits. In these strange times where Kelly Clarkson, et. al., are unbelievably considered punk rock, we are definitely due for some big changes. The markets are changing with the emergence of India and China, not to mention a European Union with over 450 million people. Add the Internet to this mix and you have the opportunity for many niche markets to evolve without the current major label system as a constituent. The Internet is integrating into and changing the very nature of TV and radio as we know them, and amen to that.

Mr. Gordon deserves credit for one thing and one thing only: his book is no better or no worse than anything else out there.

I spoke to the gentlemen who wrote this book after one of his public engagements. He told me point blank that "the only way to really make any money in the music industry is to sign with a major label". Interesting, considering he is selling this book to an audience of indie entrepreneurs.

But that's the whole point. He obviously hasn't signed anything good lately (listen to the radio), so why not write a book and tease the masses of people who so desperately want to make it? That's one way to make money when you haven't been able to cash in elsewhere, right?

After he told me to "go out and buy" his book, I went to the library to check it out. It turns out to be a collection of common sense advice that is just as easily found for free on the internet, things like "put a mailing list on your website" and "have buy buttons for your CDs all over your site" - gee, do I really need to pay money for this? Same goes for all the instructional drivel regarding licensing and other stuff---these things are very easily researched and found for nothing on the net, where it seems that everyone is an expert these days.

Don't waste your money or your time. Let sleeping music industry attorneys lie.

Why Can't Amazon start cleaning out all the obviously bogus reviews written by the writers hired-reviewers and friends. Read the only other 2 reviews below that DONT have 5-stars. A good one below from December 31, 2005 is titled: "Another Music Lawyer, Another Book to Milk the Hopeful Masses, December 31, 2005

By Anna Lee".

my opinion is based on a google preveiw of the book and i have not read the whole book, i find the author quite authoritative, credible and in a position to talk about the subject at hand considering him being a lawyer whos job it is to know his way around this business. this book seems full of useful facts about the history, trends AND the future of the music business, this seems to cover the subject fairly well. i will be buying it. i was dissapointed about some of the other reveiwers claims for fake reveiws for this book, it almost drew me away , so i would like to draw other people towards it.Perhaps they have not distinguished that the book covers the future of the music business and not the future of music in an artistic sense, that may be why people were disappointed. only four stars because i have not read the whole thing yet, but plan on buying it. kudos to the author for writing this book!

The Future of the Music Business is an interesting book. It's a mix of useful real world information and interviews with people in the industry.

The sections on music clearances are a bit dry, but that stuff is very informative if one needed the info for a project of their own. I really dont think theres a way to spice that kind of stuff up.

The section on ringtones coupled with DRM and the next generation of cell phones with audio and video storage capacity was particularly intersting. Posiing a problem for copyright owners I had not considered before.

There are many such issues raised in this book that are just downright interesting and goes way beyond the cursory coverage many of these new tech issues receive in much of the press. The writing is straightforward and conversational making the legal and technological issues the book deals with surprisingly accessble.

I enjoyed the way the topic of file sharing is dealt with. All of the legal implications are well covered all the while taking a not-so-corporate and common sense review that is refreshing. Often people that download music are chastised in the press as thieves without dealing with the reality of the technology and providing no real answers. Particularly interesting and entertaining in relation to this is the discussion with Wayne Grosso, the president of a peer to peer file sharing service. WR and file sharing services are given a fair shake. It is explained why peer to peer is such a powerful technology that is not about to go away and how it can be a win/win for consumers and copyright holders.

These are some of the stand out sections, but overall, I found here views and information I have not discovered elsewhere. That combined with a very accessable style make this book valuable if you have only have an interest in what's up with new technologies and music or if are involved in your own projects.

In this book, everything is explained clear and understandable, which is quite an accomplishment for something that is surrounded with a lot of unclear things.

I've been working on music clearances for a project, and it has been very frustrating. This book has provided a simple quideline how to fix things.

I you want to do anything with music/internet/movies, you should read the book.

one of the most comprehensive and well written books on the new music business.

clear and consise information, that is both informative, but easy to read.

whether you are in the industry or just fascinated with what is new and coming in the future...this is a must

Great book. The book provides the reader with valuable information not only about the future of the music business but also about the present. The book is very informative and well written. The CD attached to the book provides many useful resources. This is the only book I found which seriously deals with the implications of the rapid changes in the music industry and related business and legal matters. `Chapeau' to Mr. Gordon.

Having been in the music industry fifteen years and having written a book myself, I want to give KUDOS to Steve Gordon

for compiling a great collection of cutting edge interviews

that explain how the FUTURE of the MUSIC BUSINESS is HERE!

The variety of musicians, executives and those 'in the know'

provide a framework for the aspiring music industry pro, unsigned artist or anyone interested in the music business.

Eric Kline

President/CEO

Inside the Music Business

www.insidethemusicbusiness.com

A useful primer for the digital age of music. Covers all the bases, an indispensible resource for the DIY musician or would-be indy record company executive. As the major labels slowly lose their death grip on the public, talented and unique artists are presented with the opportunity to fill the void- but they'll need this book !